Chapter 218: Creating a World with 'Lin'
Originally, in Yugito's mind, the name Hōzuki Gengetsu…
Well, how should she put it?
She had imagined someone with a cold exterior but a warm heart, a mature and elegant older-sister type.
But now that she was looking at an actual illustration…those two little mustaches were surprisingly distinctive.
"So, does that mean the Second Tsuchikage Mu was actually a woman? That would kind of make sense. After all, Mu was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, so you couldn't tell male from female. And that rough, hoarse voice could've been from damaged vocal cords…"
Yugito wracked her brain and came up with another possibility.
"Uh, the Tsuchikage was also a man. That's recorded in the village history books. And back at the Five Kage Summit, Mu, before he was blown up, was standing behind the First Tsuchikage."
Samui carefully reminded her.
She was afraid that if she wasn't careful, she'd completely shatter Yugito's worldview and send her spiraling into a mental breakdown, maybe even a tailed beast rampage.
"..."
Yugito shuddered all over, goosebumps rising like a startled cat with its fur standing on end.
"Oh right, there are some little side stories after this."
Karui, completely lacking awareness of the situation, cheerfully picked up the book again and continued reading.
Yes, just like that terrifying existence who didn't even know each other or exchange a word before the plot ended, yet after it ended got married and had kids at lightning speed thanks to 'Partial Expansion Jutsu'.
"The Second Tsuchikage Mu specialized in stealth, he developed the terrifying invisibility ability [Dustless Bewildering Cover technique] that made his chakra impossible to sense. Because of this, Mu was known as 'Non-Person'."
This was the introduction to Mu's stealth skills.
And it really was terrifying.
Stealth alone wasn't scary. What was scary was that the opponent also had Dust Release.
Normally, when facing Dust Release, if you were fast enough and reacted quickly, you might be able to dodge.
But once Mu used the Dustless Bewildering Cover technique, he would become completely invisible. He could sneak up without being detected, and immediately launch Dust Release.
Who could possibly handle that?
"The Second Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu was also very skilled at stealth, but he relied on his summoned creature, the giant clam, to create the mirage illusion."
"However, the truth is that they developed stealth and illusions merely to cover their tracks, so that when they met and grew close to each other, the shinobi from their own villages who accompanied them wouldn't notice."
"Truly a story worthy of song and tears."
"Speaking of songs, there's even one included afterward. It's said Mu composed it in Hōzuki Castle after hearing that Hōzuki Gengetsu had married and had children in Kirigakure, when grief had turned his heart to ashes."
"This is also why Hōzuki Castle eventually became a prison. I'll try singing it… um, ahem."
"'I'm the bird you've imprisoned, the love I get grows less and less~ I'm a shadow you can take or leave, coldly watching you lie~'"
"Ah, it's so touching. It really sings out the feelings of so many people."
After awkwardly singing a couple of lines, Karui sighed emotionally.
Yugito was completely numb.
Where was the person?
Where were the feelings?
"Enough!"
Yugito shouted, cutting off Karui's trance-like rambling: "I'm not believing any of this nonsense. Karui, you need to distinguish between novels and reality!"
"Really?"
The smile faded from Karui's face. She looked at Yugito seriously, skillfully flipped a few pages, and turned to the very end.
"At the back of the book, there's a preview for the next volume. Do you want to know what it says?"
"I don't want to know this kind of perverted plot at all!"
Yugito extended her fingers like cat claws and scratched several marks across the tabletop in discomfort.
The scraping sound was harsh and unpleasant.
But compared to those stories just now, it was like heavenly music clearing her ears.
"No. Remember what I said at the beginning? These plots aren't something humans could come up with. There must be real-life prototypes behind them."
"And the preview at the end is about tailed beasts and jinchūriki."
Karui's expression turned serious.
"What? Tailed beasts and jinchūriki? Did you tell Raikage-sama about this?"
Yugito instantly became solemn.
"Of course not. Raikage-sama couldn't even stand the first book and tossed it aside as nonsense. How could I possibly get him to patiently read the second one?"
"Besides, the village is busy these days. Raikage-sama barely rests. Coming to Hōzuki Castle this time was practically a vacation."
Karui smiled helplessly.
"Then what does the preview say about jinchūriki?"
Yugito pressed.
"...It's simple. It says there's someone from the Uchiha clan who plans to capture and collect all the tailed beasts, activate Infinite Tsukuyomi, and pull everyone into an illusionary world, just to create a world with '零'(Zero, Ling/ Lin = Rin) in it."
"?"
At first, Yugito thought it sounded pretty plausible.
Like the plan of some evil final boss.
But that last part, what was that supposed to mean?
What did it mean to create a world with 'zero'?
"Maybe… possibly… you're supposed to connect it with the earlier plot?"
Samui hesitated and ventured a guess.
Oh no, her thinking was already starting to align with this deranged storyline.
"That's right!"
Karui snapped her fingers.
"Quick recap: Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara had an inseparable lifelong friendship. Their falling out was almost exactly like what happened between the Second Mizukage and the Second Tsuchikage."
"It was because Hashirama got married and had children, and Madara felt there was no longer a place for him in Konoha, or even a place for his 'brotherly' bond."
"In the next volume, Uchiha, who wants to collect the tailed beasts, is carrying on Madara's will, trying to create a 'zero' world."
"In that world, they can freely and happily be together with the ones they love."
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
Yugito still refused to believe it.
What kind of twisted villain would that be?
"It's totally possible."
Karui closed the book and pointed at the author's name on the cover.
"Don't forget who wrote this, a Konoha ninja. This could very well be the intelligence they gathered."
"Yugito, if you're still doubtful, you can try asking directly. The Fifth Hokage and the others haven't left yet."
"...Fine!"
After a moment of silence, Yugito made up her mind. She was going to ask and get a clear answer.
If she didn't sort this out, she definitely wouldn't be able to sleep when she got back.
Yugito walked to the place where Shiromo and the others were resting. Hearing movement inside, she raised her hand, about to knock.
Suddenly, something struck her like a flash of insight.
In an instant, she understood what Uchiha Hikari was actually afraid of.
Could it be that Uchiha Hikari was that evil villain collecting tailed beasts, and avoiding getting close to her because she'd eventually have to take her life?
Saving her was only because when a jinchūriki dies, the tailed beast dies too.
Yugito shivered.
Then wouldn't walking right up like this be dangerous?
Eh?
Wait, then why would Hikari reject Ryūzetsu too?
Thinking this through, Yugito gradually calmed down.
It didn't seem to be what she had first imagined.
"What are you doing outside the door? Twitching there nonstop, have you gone crazy?"
A voice came from inside the room.
(End of this chapter)